London’s Best New Year’s Eve Parties

Avoid the dreaded last-minute panic about where to spend New Year’s Eve this year with C&TH’s guide to the capital’s best parties. From luxury dinners on superyachts to drag performances on ice rinks, London is brimming with wild and wonderful events designed to ensure your 2019 starts with a bang…

Where better to bring in the new year than from the 32nd floor of The Shard? For those looking for a bit of opulence this NYE, Oblix East are throwing a fancy Gatsby-style evening, taking inspiration from the glitz and glamour of the Jazz Age. Executive Chef Marcus Eaves has designed a special celebratory menu for the occasion, which guests can enjoy alongside a live swing orchestra. For those keen to put on their dancing shoes, Oblix East’s resident DJ Tony will then kick things up a notch, carrying revellers into the early hours. Prepare to start 2019 feeling merry: champagne and wine will be served throughout dinner, followed by a free-flowing open bar for party-goers to use at their leisure. £450 per guest for dinner and drinks, or £150 for late night drinks and dancing. Book tickets here

For the first time in history, The Lanesborough will be closing its doors for a big New Year’s Eve ‘house party’ in collaboration with Moët & Chandon. The entire ground floor of the hotel will be open for festivities, with atmospheres varying from room to room. Dance the night away to classic club anthems in the Céleste room, keep it mellow in the Moulin-Rouge-esque Belgravia Ballroom, indulge on an elaborate Michelin-starred feast in the St. Georges & Withdrawing Room or venture downstairs to The Garden Room, where The Lanesborough’s team of Cigar Sommeliers will be on hand to cater to all your needs. Guaranteed to be more sophisticated than your average house party. Tickets start from £250 per person. Book tickets here

If glamour is what you’re after, it doesn’t get more luxurious than a super yacht. Sunborn London, the city’s only super yacht hotel, are offering guests the chance to see in the new year from their prime spot on the Royal Victoria Dock, which boasts panoramic views of the city. Dine on a five-course feast, featuring dishes such as beef fillet with red wine jus and honey glazed heritage carrot; Champagne sorbet and a chocolate fondant with dulce de leche sauce – all while floating on the River Thames. From £105pp. To book email [email protected]

Skate your way into 2019 at Somerset House’s magical ice rink, where London-based collective Sink The Pink will bring you a flamboyant bash like no other. The glamorous drag troupe will take to a specially constructed stage over the south end of the rink, where they will perform a number of feel-good solo and group numbers guaranteed to keep spirits high. As the clock strikes midnight, head to the River Terrace to watch the renowned Mayor of London fireworks without the riverside crowds. Alpine-inspired treats and drinks will be available throughout the night at the venue’s various food stalls, and there’s a chillout area set up in the East Wing where guests can refuel. Tickets are £70pp. Book here

Enter January on top of the world at Radio Rooftop, one of London’s prime rooftop drinking spots found on the 10th floor of the ME Hotel. With 360 views of the London skyline, you’ll be perfectly placed to watch the fireworks as you party late into the night. Indulge on canapés, artisan cheeses and sweet treats including a free-flowing chocolate fountain – and make the most of the open bar. Tickets from £350. Book by calling 020 7395 3440 or emailing [email protected]

Relive the clandestine world of the roaring 1920s at Bourne & Hollingsworth’s Prohibition Party, set in a secret central London speakeasy. Expect DJs on gramophones, hidden gambling dens, dancing troupes and lots of illicit drinking at the immersive event, where the boundaries between audience and performers are blurred. Go the extra mile by perfecting your Charleston steps at the pre-party Swing Patrol dance class, which takes place before the night gets into full swing. Tickets from £50, book here

Don your glad rags and dress to dazzle at Pianoworks, who are throwing a black-tie soiree this New Year’s Eve at both their Farringdon and Wardour Street venues. The best bit? It’s the only bar in London where the audience decides the music, so from 5pm-2am you can request songs for the live musicians to play and dance the night away to your favourite hits. After this a DJ will take over, keeping the party going until 6am. Dining options are also available, with three-course meals being served in two sittings: one at 5pm and another at 7.30pm. Prices start from £30pp. Book tickets here for their Studio 88 venue or here for their original Farringdon location

Unleash your inner wolf at Madison’s Wolf of Wall Street extravaganza: a night of hedonism and indulgence à la Jordan Belfort. At midnight, you’ll get an unrivalled view of the fireworks from the top floor of One New Change, a spot offering panoramic views of the London skyline. Tickets from £135. Book here

Dress to impress at Sky Gardens’ Studio 54 party, an all-night disco set in the tropical greenery of the Sky Garden. Opt for a 6-course tasting menu at the Fenchurch Restaurant, or enjoy canapés and Champagne at the City Garden Bar – a number of package options are available for partygoers to choose from. Velvet, faux fur and sequins very much encouraged. Tickets from £110, book here

For the best of both worlds, head to the chic Blakes Hotel. Your evening will begin with a sophisticated sit-down dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, with a special menu created by Head Chefs Peter Del Campo and Mariano Russo. Once you’ve been wined and dined, head down to their glamorous cocktail bar Blakes Below for a Moulin-Rouge themed party to ring in the new year in style. If you’re a visitor to London, consider their New Year’s Eve package, which includes a 2-night stay at the hotel and entry into both their NYE events. The Blakes New Year’s Eve Menu is priced at £185 per person. The New Year’s Eve package is priced from £599 per room per night. Book here

If you’re looking for something a bit quirky this New Year’s Eve, why not perfect your ping pong skills at Bounce? They’re hosting parties across both their venues – glow at their Old Street UV party, or head back to the glittering 90s at their Farringdon spot. Be sure to try their newly launched Wonderball: an augmented reality, 3D-scanning immersive ball-hitting experience using state of the art projection mapping.

Spend your last hours of 2018 cruising along the River Thames in a private yacht. With options to charter your own yacht or book a private table, guests will be treated to a champagne reception followed by a three-course meal from head chef Douglas Gaunt, which is served on the dining deck tables. Unlimited wine and beer will be also be available throughout, and the decadent interiors will be given a special makeover for the occasion, with sculptural winter displays, festive decor and booth seats draped with faux fur throws. Prices from £355, visit silverfleet.co.uk for more information

Head underground and travel back in time to the post war 1940s at Cahoots, an tube-themed den hidden deep beneath the streets of Soho. Enter the old air raid shelter by a descending staircase which resembles the wooden escalators that used to lead down to the Underground. Go through the ticket hall and you’ll find yourself in a buzzy, clandestine cocktail bar set up like an old-school tube carriage. This New Year’s Eve guests can relish in tasty food-rashioned canapés and bottomless cocktails before dancing the night away to vintage band Hotsie Totsies. 8am-3pm, £150pp for table tickets or £100pp for bar tickets. Both include Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial NV Champagne and canapé reception and bottomless cocktails. Book tickets here

The iconic SUSHISAMBA are hosting colourful New Year’s Eve parties at both their Liverpool Street and Covent Garden locations. Taking inspiration from the Brazilian tradition of Réveillon, guests will be surrounded by swirling carnival dancers, with batucada drums, live bands and DJs as the soundtrack. Both venues offer a number of ticketing options: choose to enjoy an early or late sit-down meal, or go for a bar ticket, which includes a welcome cocktail and a selection of sushi canapés. Tickets from £75, visit sushisamba.com for tickets

Known for throwing exclusive themed parties in secret locations, The Mansion are putting on another big bash this NYE, ideal for those who want to go all out. Fire shows, hula hoopers and cage dancers are on the cards, with three dancefloors to keep partygoers busy all night long to a mix of electro house and pop hits. Expect a number of special touches and surprises, such as a clairvoyant available for free consultations, face painting and psychedelic movies. The theme is red, so don your best scarlet gown to be in with a chance of winning the prize for best dressed. Visit themansionlondon.com for tickets

Channel your inner film star at Quaglino’s Hollywood Glamour evening, complete with a red carpet and ‘paparazzi’ to snap you in your best finery. Enjoy a three-course dinner by Executive Head Chef Nuno Goncalves, accompanied by live music and DJ Josh Hodge keeping the party going until 4am. £100pp for the early dinner setting, £200pp for the main sitting. Bar packages also available, visit quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk for more information

London’s newest sky-high drinking and dining offering, B&H Garden Room, is the perfect spot for watching the fireworks sparkle across the city. Their lavish New Year’s Eve party features live entertainment, canapés, small dishes and unlimited cocktails throughout the evening, all while surrounded by beautiful jungle of plants and flowers in true B&H style. 7pm-2am, £180pp. Visit bandhgardenroom.com

Experience a taste of Sri Lanka at Hoppers this New Year’s Eve, where dinner parties are taking place across both their Soho and St. Christopher’s Place restaurants. Baila, the Calpyso-esque music of Sri Lanka, will be the upbeat soundtrack to the evening, accompanied by a delicious culinary feast of guinea fowl peera,curried roasted goat chops and duck leg buriani followed by almond chestnut cake and spiced coconut cream. In the tropical surroundings of exotic plants, coconut shell lighting and colourful lanterns, you can pretend you’re partying on a beach many miles away from London. Tickets from £40pp, book here

Head to trendy three-story East London hangout Skylight for a night of rooftop ice-skating, street food, DJs and fireworks. If you’re worried it’ll get cold up there don’t fear: igloos and heated après skate bars are dotted around, and there are lots of warming winter cocktails on the menu to keep you toasty throughout the evening. Tickets from £30, visit skylightlondon.com

Dine on a five-course menu at stylish Shoreditch hotspot The Boundary Project. Begin with a welcome drink and sharing boards of charcuterie before indulging in a selection of starters and mains – highlights include confit duck with smoked ham hock, braised beef cheek with parmesan polenta and BBQ’d cauliflower steak served with roasted chicory and saffron quinoa. Save space for dessert: offerings include a glazed lemon tart, a chocolate mousse and a cheese board to finish. After dinner guests can continue the night on The Boundary’s impressive rooftop winter terrace, where unlimited glasses of bubbly will be served from 11-midnight. Finish off your evening in The Vault, where you’re invited to dance the night away until 2am. £120pp, click here for more information

Enjoy free-flowing champagne as you sail down the River Thames on Le Pont de la Tour’s boat cruise. Prior to this you’ll be treated to an indulgent five-course menu featuring dishes designed for celebrating: think Morecambe Bay oysters with caviar, beef fillet with ox cheek and black truffle, and a mouthwatering praline and chocolate parfait with gingerbread and caramel mousse. Boat cruise option £395pp, dinner only £195pp. Visit lepontdelatour.co.uk for tickets

Party with Don Silvio and his gangsters at Bunga Bunga Covent Garden. Enter through The Don’s secret meat locker before joining in with the night’s festivities, which include a four-course Italian feast and a mesmerising variety show. As you tuck into Bunga’s metro pizza, live band The Bunga Boys will kick things up a notch with upbeat hits, followed by a series of weird and wonderful performances to keep you entertained. If you’re planning on partying all night, make use of the free ‘power-through pizza’ slices, which will be keeping revellers fuelled until the early hours. 7.30pm-4am. £90pp. Book tickets via bungabunga-london.com

Taking inspiration from Tokyo’s bright lights and buzzing nightlife, Sexy Fish are throwing a lavish New Year’s Eve bash, complete with geisha dancers, ninja warriors and glittering fire breathers. Guests can opt for a dinner ticket, which includes a sharing-style 13 course feast of dishes such as scallop carpaccio with caviar, miso marinated black cod and oysters with chilli sauce. Afterwards partygoers can hit the dance floor, where Sexy Fish’s resident DJs will be playing a selection of house, electro, disco and funk into the early hours of 2019. £290pp for a dinner ticket, £24pp for a standing ticket. To book, call 020 3764 2000.

Immerse yourself in the decadent 1920s at The London Cabaret Club’s Great Gatsby party, taking place in the beautiful Bloomsbury Ballroom. The evening will feature exquisite dining, late night dancing and live performances featuring acrobats, aerialists, contortionists, cabaret dancers and singers, plus an array of spectacular costumes. Tickets from £105, book via thelondoncabaretclub.com

Tea Room at Bun House are hosting a Shanghai disco fever themed night this New Year’s Eve, transporting guests back to Shanghai’s hedonistic glory days. Enjoy cocktails among a steamy layer of fog, laser lights and dazzling dragons and dance the night away in your best disco attire – think flares and lots of sparkle. Suffering from a New Year’s Day hangover? Tea Room will be serving up their much-loved Hong Kong brunch, with Cantonese favourites such as Wok Fried Cheung Fun, Cumin Potato Hash and HK French Toast, washed down with Baijiu infused Bloody Mary’s. £16.80 for advance tickets, £20 on the door. Tickets include free canapés all night including special midnight buns. Book here

Escape to the slopes without leaving London at Winterland’s Apres Ski NYE Party. Try your hand at curling, get involved with beer pong, sing your heart out in the karaoke booth and enjoy a tasty hog roast, before watching fireworks over the Thames and hitting the dancefloor for a set by DJ Harry Land. Worried about the cold? Book one of the igloos, lodges or cabins for you and a group of friends to keep you toasty all night long. £28.50pp which includes mulled wine on arrival and food from the hog roast. Book via winterland.com

Sing your heart out at Bollywood karaoke at Indian BBQ restaurant Brigadiers, located in the heart of central London. Guests will enjoy a seafood platter and cocktails – with the option to purchase ‘contactless’ Brigadiers party cards allowing the whole party free reign of the restaurant’s range of self-serve drinks, including the Whiskey Vending Machine and Bottoms-Up Beer Taps. From £75pp, tickets can be booked by calling 020 3319 8140, emailing [email protected] or online here

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